Zoppé Italian Circus sets up its tent in Redwood City

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Joel Wade Photography Giovanni Zoppe is manager of Zoppé — An Italian Family Circus, which runs from Oct. 7 through Oct. 23, 2016, under the tent in Redwood City. He is also the troupe’s head clown, Nino.

The manager and head clown of Zoppé — An Italian Family Circus says, “It’s important to keep this type of entertainment alive. I’m trying to re-education the American public as to what circus is really all about. It’s not about a triple-somersault or a guy shot out of a cannon — although there’s nothing wrong with that. But it’s being human. It’s about life and reality. We’re a family performing for other families.”

The Zoppé family has been delighting audiences with their circus skills for seven generations, 180 years. Unlike his predecessors, Giovanni Zoppé, who stars as the beloved clown character Nino, must capture the imaginations of kids with short attentions spans, whittled away by frenzied video games.

“It’s a big challenge to get them inside of our tent,” Zoppé says. “But once they’ve experienced what we do, what circus is, it’s not a challenge at all to bring them back. They return and bring all their friends.”

Zoppé plays Red Morton Park, today through Oct. 23. The circus started with one weekend in Redwood City, built up to two and now three. The new show is titled “Ricominciare” (ree-koh-min-CHAR-ay).

Zoppé says, “In Italian, ricominciare means a new beginning, a change. It represents our show, because this year, basically everything is new.”

“It’s phenomenal,” Zoppé says, “seeing a flying trapeze act in a small (500-seat) tent. You feel like you could reach up and touch them, as they fly back and forth. It takes my breath away, every show.”

Zoppé’s charming character Nino pretends he’s the boss, amusing children and adults alike. He gets involved in many of the acts. With another clown, he recreates the classic mirror routine.

Zoppé’s father, Alberto, died seven years ago, but had continued clowning into his 80s. Zoppé’s sister and brother-in-law are in the show. His mother still performs often. When she can, Zoppé’s 13-year-old daughter, a budding trapeze artist, joins him in the ring. And, for the first week in Redwood City, his son Julien will clown with him, while celebrating his 7th birthday.

“He’s a homeboy, born at Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City,” says Zoppé, who’s based in Chicago.

Alberto never pushed his kids into the circus arts. Zoppé says, “My dad was always there to help, but he let us find our own pathway. We took it on ourselves to recreate what the circus was many, many years ago. It was because it was never forced onto me that it became a love of mine.”

Zoppé never considered any other profession. “This is my life. Growing up, the circus was normal to me. I can’t imagine growing up in a house, going to a regular school every day. Now my children are doing that, because times have changed.

“The first place my son performed was in Redwood City. He was six days old, about the same age I was when I first participated. The ring is part of who we are as a family.”

By age 10, Zoppé was performing professionally on a regular basis, making $10 per week.

Shaping the character of Nino took years. “It’s a lifelong process. It’s still developing. It never stops. Every show, he grows a little more.

Clowning is a challenging art form. But for Zoppé, 50, it comes naturally. “I believe my true self is Nino. When I’m handling the business side, this is not me. It’s who I have to be to survive in a world that we’re in today. But who I truly am is Nino.”

Zoppé wants the audience to care about all the characters in the show. “You’ll laugh. You’ll cry, when something sad happens. We want you to not just see everything that’s happening in the ring, but to feel it.”

It’s a warm experience for parents and grandparents to share with kids. “It’s a wonderful feeling for me to look out and see several generations, all in the same family, watching something that I’m doing in the show and they all have the same expression on their faces… but for different reasons. Everyone sees something else in a piece of art.”

Half an hour prior to each performance, the artists mingle with guests in front of the tent, thanking them for coming, preparing for the excitement that awaits inside. It’s part of the Zoppé tradition.

“Getting to know them before the show, we can perform better for them. And they appreciate it more. We’re welcoming you to our home. We want you to enjoy the time you spend with us.”

Zoppé says he feels a sense of responsibility in carrying on the family legacy. “It’s the most important thing I do in my life. I take great pride in keeping this form of entertainment alive, because it’s trying to die off.

“It’s extremely difficult to carry a company of close to 50 people in 12 trucks and trailers, coast to coast, every year. With blessings of my God and my amazing company and support of my family, I’ve been able to do it now for 15 years and hopefully will be able to continue for a long, long time.“